Goodbye Hermione
by RonAndHermioneLove4ever
Summary: What would happen if Hermione left in the seventh book instead of Ron? I stink at summaries, just read :
1. Chapter 1

"Hermione. Please take it off. Give me or Harry a turn. You've been wearing it all day!"

"NO RON! LISTEN TO ME," screamed Hermione. "I am not in love with Harry! So stop saying that we are abandoning you! We are not, we just have good ideas!"

Looking back, Ron thought that it was probably not a good idea to bring up this topic while she was wearing the locket.

"Hermione, take…it..off,"

"Fine, you want it? HERE!" Hermione threw the locket at Ron and picked up her things.

"What are you doing Hermione?"

"Leaving. I try to help and all you think is that I am in love with Harry. Grow up Ronald!"

Hermione left the tent and she stomped off. Before Ron went to chase after her, he said to Harry,

"She's mental that one."

He ran out of the tent screaming, "Hermione come back…" harry heard Ron scream this again and again, until he reached the boundary, and stopped. After 10 minutes, Harry went outside to see Ron playing with a stick on the ground. He walked up quietly, and saw he had drawn into the ground. _H.G._, and he had put a heart around it.

"Ron, are you okay?" Harry asked cautiously.

"No mate, I'm not okay. Hermione was so important to this task, and even more important to me. I can't stand not being around her Harry. She means everything to me." Ron said.

They sat in silence for a while, until Ron went back to the tent.

"I'll just take first watch then…no problem," said Harry.

Ron's dreams were flooded with Hermione. When he woke up, he woke up drenched in sweat and screaming. It has been so real. Hermione getting the dementor's kiss. Knowing he would not be able to sleep again, he went out and told Harry he would take over watch. As he sat there, every time he saw a little movement, from the wind, a small animal, or a tree, he prayed that it was Hermione. Although it wasn't.

They woke up the next morning, and to get Hermione off Ron's mind, Harry decided to tell Ron they were going searching for more horcruxes. They went and searched the whole day, but whatever he saw reminded him of Hermione. He saw a dress in the window; "Harry, remember how Hermione wore a dress like that at Bill and Fleur's wedding. They saw a house-elf; "Harry, remember back at Hogwarts when Hermione had S.P.E.W.?" They saw the book_ Hogwarts: A History_; "Harry, remember how Hermione always tried to get us to read that?" After a while, Harry couldn't take it anymore, and they were getting nothing accomplished, so Harry decided that they had done enough Horcrux hunting for the day, and apparated back to the tent. When they went inside the tent, Ron saw something and walked over to it. It was Hermione's lip-gloss that she had left. Ron picked it up gently, and walked over to his bed. He layed there, staring at that lip gloss container, for almost an hour, until he put it under his pillow.

"I'll take first watch," said Ron, walking outside the tent and sat down.

Harry couldn't help but feel bad for Ron. He had been in love with her since what…third, fourth year? And Hermione had just ditched him because Ron questioned her. He walked outside and sat with Ron.

"You know that I don't love her, right?" harry said cautiously.

"I know mate," Ron said, looking into the distance. It's just, I got jealous. I mean, you guys have been spending so much time together, and…"

"Stop Ron, you are starting to sound like one of those muggle romance novels we always made fun of. Go inside and sleep, I'll watch"

Reluctantly, Ron went inside the tent, and harry heard him lay down on his bad. And he was sure that Ron would be sitting there, looking at the tube of lip gloss until Harry came into the tent.


	2. Chapter 2 Regrets

Hermione's POV

"How dare he!" Hermione thought angrily as she walked out of the woods. "Just because Harry and I discover something, and don't include him immediately, then there is something wrong with that. He has plenty of secrets with just Harry!"

She apparated out of the forest and to the first place she thought of: her neighborhood back home. She saw her old house, and she almost started to cry.

"Man up Hermione," she told herself. "You've spent the last 4 months with just Harry and….him, you can deal with this."

She walked away down the street, before she did start to cry, into a shopping area that she came to as a child. She saw her favorite bookstore, her favorite ice cream place, the grocery store that she and her mum went to, a hotel her family went to sometimes because of the pool, and dozens of restaurants. Realizing the time (9 PM) she decided to go and check into the hotel. Walking there, she fiddled around in her bag until she found her credit card….the ones her parents gave her the night before she went to Hogwarts for the first time, in case of an emergency. This was the first time she was using it.

"I hope it works, even though mum and dad don't remember me," she thought hopefully.

She checked into the hotel, and her credit card worked! She was led up to a room, and she lay down on the bed or a long time. She finally got up, and went to take a shower. When she got out, she decided to go to bed. But everything reminded her of Ron. A spider hanging from a mantle; Ron never did like spiders…he was actually quite terrified of them. Her hairbrush; Ron used this hairbrush once and he said he loved it. The light; Ron would probably turned that out with his deluminator by now.

She drifted into a sleep, which was filled by the memories, good and bad, that she had with Ron. When she punched Malfoy and Ron praised her, their first Hogsmeade trip, when Ron accused her that Crookshanks ate Scabbers, when they were both asked to go to the bottom of the lake for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The last picture that was in her mind before she woke up was Ron kissing Lavender.

Hermione woke up, jealous and mad, that Ronald would ever kiss her…especially in front of her! Then she remembered that was all in the past, and that she shouldn't even care because Ron horrible. She got up, took another shower, and checked out of the hotel. It was almost noon, and she realized she was hungry, and hadn't eaten for a long time. She went into her favorite pizza place and got 2 slices of cheese and pepperoni.

"Mum and Dad's favorite," she thought looking down.

Despite her hunger, she ate them slowly, missing her parents more with every bite. She looked up and saw a red-head.  
>"RONALD?" She thought hopefully. But then she realized that it wasn't Ron when he turned around.<p>

She finished her pizza, and walked outside. She saw a boy and a girl, maybe 14 or 15, eating ice cream together. She looked at them and realized that she wanted that. She still wanted to be with Ron. She sat on a bench and considered this.

"Well, Ronald was just trying to help. I would have been mad also if he and Harry didn't tell me about a big discovery right away," she thought.

She started to cry. She missed Ron. She missed the way he smiled when you said something awkward, the way he was so stubborn, the way he snored in his sleep. She missed everything about him, and she wanted him…no needed him.

Then she knew what she had to do….she had to go find Ron and Harry.


	3. Chapter 3

Ron awoke with a start. This was the second night in a row that he had nightmares about Hermione. He desperately hoped that she was okay.

He went to take over watch, and Harry went to bed without any argument or talk. Ron sat there, looking in the distance. He saw two people walking. Although he knew it wasn't possible for them to see him, he still worried that their cover had been discovered. He took out an extendable ear.

"Yes Dean, we have had almost all the Mudbloods in for testing."

Ron was worried that this was the Dean in Ginny's year, the one she had dated in fifth year. But with a quick glance, he saw this Dean was much older.

"The only one that's on the run we have left to find is Hermione Jean Granger. The rest are in for questioning or in line for it."

Ron gasped. Why hadn't he thought of this! Hermione, the muggle-born that was on the run with Harry Potter, was out in public!

He continued to listen in, hoping to get more information, but no more came. The two men just stared at their lists on names, checking once again that they had got everyone.

Ron sat there, fidgeting, thinking of Hermione. Yes, she was brilliant, but what if she was cornered by dozens and dozens of snatchers? Despite her knowledge of information and magic, she would never be able to get all of them stunned.

Ron thought and thought, until he was scared out of his mind completely, and went to wake Harry. He couldn't take it anymore. They needed to look for Hermione, now!

"Harry, Harry wake up!"

"What Ron?" Harry said groggily.

"Hermione's in danger. We need to go help her! Come on let's go! She is the only muggle-born they haven't found."

"Listen Ron," Harry said, sitting up. "I know that you care about her, but she's smarter than that. She knows they are searching for all the muggle-borns. She's brilliant. And besides, she could be anywhere."

"Alright," said Ron reluctantly. Why didn't Harry understand! She was in danger! He was about to go tell him they needed to go, when he took it into account that if they got into a fight, this Horcrux Hunt could be over for good.

"Well since I'm up…wait Ron, what made you think Hermione was in danger?"

"Oh two snatchers came and where reviewing who they needed to find. Hermione was the only one left."

"WHAT? THERE WERE SNATCHERS HERE?" Harry said quickly as he gathered up stuff, and started to take down the tent. "Help me Ron, we need to get out before they can find out the charm."

Ron hurried and started packing. Then, making sure the coast was clear, they took down the protective boundaries and apparated to the next location on their lists that Hermione had made all 3 of them, so they would know where to go in an emergency.

When they got there, Ron quickly realized it as a very rocky terrain they had picked. He had no idea why Hermione would pick a place like this, but he decided she must have had a good reason. He and Harry quickly set up the protective charms.

"Mate, I got like an hour of sleep. Take guard, I'm going to bed." Harry said.

Ron nodded and sat in front of the tent. He looked longingly at the lake before him. He wished Hermione was here. He took her lip gloss out of his pocket, uncapped it, and smelt it. The smell always reminded him of Hermione, because she had worn this same lip gloss since third year, when Ron watched her pick it out during their first Hogsmeade trip. He closed his eyes, and saw Hermione in front of him, looking at him. He opened his eyes hopefully, only to discover he was being mental and of course Hermione wasn't there.

He walked down to the water and skipped stones. After a while, each stone he skipped symbolized something bad about his life: Hermione was gone, they had only found one Horcrux in almost 4 months of looking and they hadn't destroyed it yet, Hermione was gone, Dad is working at the ministry where right near his office they are killing innocent muggle borns, Hermione was gone, Umbridge was the new minister of magic, Hermione was gone, and he even though she was gone, he still loved his best friend.

He sat down and just stared at the lake, hoping that Hermione would show up in the reflection with him.


	4. Chapter 4 Worries

Hermione's POV

"Where to start..." Hermione thought as she took a seat on the bench. "They could be anywhere in the entire world."

She looked in her bag for anything that might be helpful, anything that could led her to Ron and Harry. Nothing.

"Ok, so they could still be where they were when I left...but then they will have the charms and I won't be able to see them...well it is worth a try."

She stood up and walked into the ice cream shop, and went into the bathroom. Once it was empy, she went in a stall and apparated. She then stood, alone, looking inot the forest. She quickly manuevered into the forest, looking for anythng to show her where Ron and Harry were...a bloodstain, footprints, an item that dropped out of there stuff. Suddenly she hear voices. Hoping with all her might they were Ron and Harry, she turned around, only to see two middle -aged wizards, holding there wands and looking at a list.

"Oh my gosh." Hermione thought, standing still. "Snatchers."

She silently walked over to to a large tree and sat behind it, knowing that if she apparated it would give her away, and they might be able to track her. She longed for the invisibility stayed there for a long time, knowing that any movement would expose her. After what seemed like hours, she moved, and she say no one in sight. Knowing she was in danger of being caught, she apparated to where the tent should have been set up. By seeing the scarf tied around a tree, she knew that Ron and Harry where still here. Quickly removing the charms that were laid around the area, excitement rushed through her. When she was done, she was quickly discouraged. All that was left was one of Ron's sweaters. They had obviously left. Hermione rushed over, picked up Ron's sweater, and put it on over her own. Everything about it was like him. The smell, the "R"on the front, the warmth. SHe sat down and began to cry. All she wanted was Ron back. She looked up into the night sky and saw one star.

"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight." Hermione muttered quietly.

It was the only thing she could think to do. The rhyme from her childhood had just came into her mind.

"I wish I had Ron and Harry back," Hermione said through thick tears.

She wanted Ron back so bad that it hurt. She needed Harry also, yes, but without Ron, she felt like her heart was missing. All she could think to do to calm herself down was to think of her storyline with Ronald.

Ever since Ron was injured in third year, she knew he was the one. And through all the fights and anger, she still knew that she loved him, regardless of how mad she was at him, or he was at her. And when he dated Lavender in sixth year, she was just about ready to crucio Lavender, through all the snogging and flirting. It had hurt her so bad to think that Ron had fallen in love with someone else. And when the had broken up, she felt like having a party. It was one of the best days of her life. But who could she tell? Nobody knew about her liking Ron. Ginny had her suspicions, but she didn't know for a fact.

Now, Hermione felt about 100 times worse then when Ron and Lavender dated. At least then they were dating she could still see Ron, she could talk to him. But now, she couldn't even look at him smile, she couldn't see him awkwardly smile when Hermione said a compliment about him. All she had was a locket with Ron in it. The locket she had since fourth year, that she kept under her shirt everyday, so that Ron would always be there.

She stood up, and apparated back to the plaza she was staying at. She got another room for the night, took a shower, and layed on her bed, not tired, thinking of where they could be. Hogwarts...no too risky, Gringotts...no,again too risky, Diagon Alley...no too risky. Then it dawned on her. They left because of the snatchers. They knew that they were there, and if they saw them, they would be in trouble because of me. Where would they go to leave snatchers? They had to have gone far away, so that they wouldn't be captured. But maybe that is exactly why they wouls stay close. Hermione stood up and paced, because she couldn't sit still any longer.

Harry and Ron are smart. Maybe not incredibley book smart, but they definitley would know about the real world. She sat in a chair and closed her eyes, knowing that if she concentrated, she would know where they were. After hours of thought, she layed down in bed and drifted into a rocky sleep.

She woke up the next morning and thought over her dream again and again. It was a patronus (a dog...that was Ron's patronus) bringing her a piece of parchment.

"Should I send them a patronus...no that would be incredibley risky and could out all 3 of us in danger." She thought.

As she went to pull her hairbrush out of her bag, she saw a piece of parchment and gasped.

In her bag, she had the list of places her, Ron, and Hermione had planned to stay at...and Ron had one too.


	5. Chapter 5

After catching two fish, Ron went back up to camp to keep watch at a closer area. Around the time they normally had dinner, Ron woke Harry up. Harry quickly jolted up, obviouly scared that they were being attacked. Ron quickly calmed Harry down, telling him that he was the only one there.  
>"I caught two fish...maybe we can make something or the other out of them." Ron said hopefully.<p>

"Great, I'm starving." Harry said, and like on command, his stomach rumbled.

They both laughed. It seemed odd to laugh in a time like this. Voldemort getting stronger, Hermione gone. But it felt good to laugh.

The managed to cook something edible, and ate hungerly in silence until Ron broke it.

"Do you think Hermione is going to be okay? I mean, I know she is smart, but her against a group of snatchers..." Ron said.

"Ron, she is plenty safe...she is smart and a good lier. Remember, her pretend name is "Penelope Clearwater"-Half blood."

"Okay..." Said Ron, NOT reassured.

They finished their less than tasty dinner in silence. It was when he finished that it finally hit Ron how tired he was. He announced that he was going to bed, grabbed his jacket, and went inside the tent. When he layed down, he took out the lip gloss, like he did every night, and stared at it. He thougt back to all the times Hermione had worn this. The day she bought the first tube of it in Hogmeade in third year, everytime she reapplied it after meals, even when she pulled itout of her pockeet and turned it into a tea cup filled with steaming hot tea for her project in fourth year.

His dreams, for once were nice and peaceful, and he did not wake up at all in the night. He dreamed of him and Hermione sitting in a field, enjoying a picnic. With all bugs around, (But not a spider in sight!) the grass, the blanket, it was the most romantic thing ROn had ever seen. That is why he was about ready to strangle Harry when he woke him up the next day.

"RON! BLOODY WAKE UP! YOU'VE BEEN SLEEPING FOR 12 HOURS!" Harry screamed, after trying to wake Ron up peaceful 11 times.

Ron sat up, startled,and hit his head don the top bunk bed. In pain, he got up and put on jeans,a shirt and 2 sweatshirts. He say Harry pull out another sweatshirt to add to himself.

"Where are we going?" Ron asked curiously.

"I don't know, we just need to get out so that we can clear our minds and try to think of where we are going to find the Sword of Gryffindor, a Basilisk fang, basilisk venom, or one of the remaining 4 horcruxes." Harry said.

Maybe Harry was right. For the last couple of days, all he had been doing was complaining and moping about how Hermione was gone. Regardless, they had to find the Horcruxes, and the sooner the better.

"Alright mate," said Ron.

The apparated place after place where they thought Voldemort might have hide the Horcruxes: The orphanage he lived at and Gringott's (using polyjuicepotion of course.) before they decided to try Godric's Hollow.

The apparated, and Ron started walking down the street. However, Harry went off in a different direction: To the graveyard. Ron did nothing but stand there and think,

"It must feel horrible to have to go see your mum and dad in a graveyard."

He then saw Harry kneal down, and he knew that Harry had found the grave. Ron went over and trid to comfort Harry when he saw a tear roll down his cheek. He awkwardly placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and stood there in silence as Harry saw his parents for the first time in over 15 years. Ron decided that tonight was no longer the night to hunt for the Horcrux here. He let Harry stand there for a long time.

"Alright," said Harry, wiping a final tear away. "Ready to check the house for a Horcrux?"  
>"Tonight's not the night Harry," Ron said, and he saw by the look in Harry's eyes that he didn't think so either.<p>

They apparated back to their tent. Ron saw everything in Harry's face: The sadness about his parents,the ever growing loathe toward Voldemort, and the exhaustion.

"Harry, go to bed. You look bloody exhausted." Ron said.

He tried to refuse, but Ron pushed him into his bed, made himself some tea, and went to sit outside.

"Wow, I must look like a real arse," he thought. "I'm complaining about Hermione being gone, and Harry has went through not having parents for his whole life."

Regardless, he took out Hermione'slip gloss and looked at it. Then he had an idea. Not a good idea, but it would give him something new to do.

"Lumos," he muttered.

His wand tip lighted up and he held it up to the lip gloss. He saw the words, "Hermione Granger" written in black ink. Hermione had written that. He must have spent hours just starring at the name, because when he finally looked up, there was sunlight. And he stilll didn't want to look away. This was the only part of Hermione he had left for now.

An hour later, Harry emerged from the tent and saw Ron starring at the lip gloss. He knew not to bother Ron now...this was his time of the day.

Ron looked up and saw Harry.

"Harry, I'm sorry I've been complaining about Hermione leaving so much." Ron said awkwardly.

"It's okay. I know you like her...love her even. SO you have every right to talk about her as much as you want." Harry said.

"But Ive just been moping around..."  
>"No, you got us dinner yesterday, you tell me to go to bed, you apparated us where we needed to go."<p>

"But..."  
>"No Ron, don't worry about it."<br>"Okay Harry," Ron said, knowing this conversation was over.

He looke down and twirled the lip gloss around in his hand. He wanted her back. No matter how much of an arse she was to leave, he needed her back. No matter how rude it was for her to leave...

He still loved her.


	6. Chapter 6 Happiness

**I am SOOOO sorry this took so long to post. I have had so much homework, school stuff, sports, etc. and it's been so hard to be on the computer. But I hope this Chapter was worth the wait, and I will try to post more often!**

With trembling fingers, Hermione opened the parchment that would lead her back to Ronald and Harry. She opened it, and saw it read,

_List of Places:_

_*Field between Luna and Ron's house_

_*Forest west of Shell Cottage_

_*Godric's Hallow _

_*Forest of Dean_

After that, several places they had already been were crossed out.

Hermione almost passed out with delight! She only had 4 places they would be! With new determined hope, she put back on Ron's sweater and went to bed.

The next morning, Hermione awoke with a start. She remembered that today could possibly be the day she got to see Ron and Harry again! She dressed quickly, locked her room, and apparated to the first place on the list: The Forest of Dean.

When she got there, she immediately started to perform the spells that would reveal Ron and Harry, if they were here.

"Nothing in this area," Hermione thought after about 10 minutes of work, and moved on.

While walking, she decided that she wouldn't need to perform the revealing spells everywhere, as Ron and Harry would see her. She walked around and quietly called "Ron" or "Harry" every few seconds. She wished she could call louder, but with the Lovegood's house only a mile to her left, and the Weasley's house only a mile to her right, she decided it would be best to be as quiet as possible.

After hours of calling and searching, it began to snow, then quickly turned into a blizzard. Regardless, Hermione worked her way forward, knowing that Rona and Harry could be right in front of her.  
>After another hour, Hermione was soaked, cold, and tired, and she decided that they weren't here. It was dark now, so they wouldn't see her anyway. Crying ever so lightly, she apparated back into her hotel room. It was only when she got into her room that she realized how cold she was. She got under the covers and huddled there, then picked up the phone and called Room Service for a hot cocoa.<p>

Drinking her Hot Cocoa, Hermione was thinking hard:

"Why are you under the covers, drinking hot chocolate? How fancy do you think you are? Ron and Harry haven't had decent food in months, let alone hot cocoa!"  
>Thoughts like this continuously raced through her mind, telling her how pathetic she was and how Ron and Harry wouldn't want her back, and that she should just stay here forever.<p>

Then she brought herself back to reality. Ron loved her. Regardless of if he would admit it, he did. He would want her back. Harry would want her back. With these thoughts, she drifted into a deep sleep that would prepare her for the day ahead.

She awoke, scared and covered in sweat.

"Calm down Hermione, Bellatrix doesn't know you are here. She can't get to you. She can't hurt you. Malfoy is somewhere else. He doesn't know you are here. He won't call you Mudblood anymore…it was just a dream."

She got dressed and looked at her list once again.

"Forest west of Shell Cottage," she murmured. "Great, the risk of being caught by Fleur and Bill. I mean, they're so nice, but if they see me, they won't let me leave."

She apparated, making sure she was very far west of Shell Cottage, and into the forest.

"Ronald! Harry!" She called. No response.

She continued walking, calling "Ron" or "Harry" every once in a while. As she was about to call Ron, she saw Bill in the woods.  
>"Calm down Hermione, breathe, breathe, just stay behind this tree until he is gone."<p>

And that is what she did. After several minutes, Bill finally started to move back toward where the cottage was. Waiting a long time before she revealed herself, she finally slipped out from behind the tree and walked at a quick pace farther and deeper into the woods.

Snow scattered the ground, and with every step the ground crunched, and she thought she would be caught every time she took a step.

After hours and hours of walking, checking every inch of the forest, she discovered that they were not there and that she needed to go back to the hotel and sleep, because she had been awake all day trenching through knee high snow.

When she got back to the hotel, she took a boiling hot shower. Then she realized she hadn't eaten in almost 48 hours, and she was starving. When she got out of the shower, she ordered the least-extravagant thing off the menu, (because even though it was still over-the-top to have food like this, she thought it would be wrong to order a lobster when Ron and Harry were eating who knows what,) a salad and clam chowder. While she waited for it to come, she flipped thought the muggle-TV to see if they had any reports of Voldemort, even though the reporters would have no idea what they were talking about.

After 10 minutes of nothing, her food came, and she swallowed it all down fast, and continued watching the TV. Robbery, clothing sale, warm weather, etc. Nothing that would inform her of Voldemort.

Not ready to go to bed, she walked out on her ledge and looked at a parking lot. She saw all the muggles in cars, the people out for a late night stroll, none of them knowing how much danger they were in. She felt like screaming to them that it was dangerous to be out there, but she controlled herself and went back into her room.

She closed the curtain and laid down in bed, wondering where the next place on the list would take her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Again: I'm sorry for not updating sooner. Not just homework, sports and after school activities played a part in no updating sooner, but also the fact this was a hard one to make good. Plan for me to post once a week! Hope you like it!**

"Ron wake up!" Harry screamed for the fifth time. "I thought you would be used to waking up by now….apparently not."

Ron got up out of bed to see Harry packing things into his rucksack. Remembering why they packed up last time, he grabbed his wand. Noticing his fear, Harry said,

"Ron, relax, there are no snatchers. I just want to get moving to a better place, because nothing good is coming from here. We are now going to The Forest of Dean"

"Ok…" Said Ron, and started to help pack.

After packing, which took slower than usual, they got ready to apparated

"I wish Hermione had left that bloody bag she had. We could really use the extra space." Ron said, looking ready to pass out from the weight he had to carry."

It took great difficulty to apparated with all their things, but they made it without losing anything except a pair of Ron's jeans, which didn't fit him anymore.

As soon as they hit the ground, they collapsed. They were in knee-high deep snow. Dropping all his things, Harry got up and started to put up the protective charms.

"What will that help?" Asked Ron. "We are going to be in knee-high snow so we couldn't move anyway!"

Harry shot Ron a glance that said, "You do know we are wizards right?"

Ron stood back, still wondering what Harry was going to do. Rolling his eyes, Harry said:

"Incendio"

Fire bursted from his wand, and for a second, Ron was scared he was going to burn the whole forest down. But he saw the fire made no ash on the ground, and the fire stopped where the boundaries were.

"Aguamenti"

Water spewed from Harry's wand and all the fire was gone. Ron, trying to keep his mouth from drooping open because Harry knew how to do the fire spell that would only burn snow and even Hermione struggled with it. He started to unpack the bags and set up the tent.

Ron walked over and helped Harry unpack. After 10 minutes, they had barely made a dent, so they gave up and decided that they just were going to take things out as they needed them.

Ron sat down, and his stomach rumbled.

"Harry, I'm going to go see if I can find that river Hermione said was here. If I can find it, I'll get some fish."

"Sure, I'll stay and watch," said Harry, pulling the locket out his special bag Hagrid gave to him and putting it around his neck.

Ron walked out of the tent and started forward. As he walked, he noticed there were different colors on each tree. There was a yellow, a blue, and a purple. He remembered that Hermione had once told him that she loved to walk on the yellow trail the best, because that was the path the river led to. Ron turned around and went back to the yellow tree.

"Bloody muggle signs," Ron said as he tried to figure out how to follow the path.

He walked left and found himself with a purple sign. Then he walked back right and he found that this led him to another yellow one.

After messing up a thousand times, trying to find the yellow paths, he finally heard trickling water, so he knew that he must be getting closer

After 3 more signs, he found the river. He tried summoning fish from the lake, but failed miserably. He had never been very good with the summoning charm. Sighing, he took his loathed fishing poll out of his backpack and cast it into the river. Within seconds, he felt a big tug and reeled it in. After several minutes of reeling and panting, the fish finally came onto shore. And it was NOT as big as he expected. It was barely enough to feed one of them! So he cast his line again and waited.

"I wonder if Hermione ever did this," Ron thought to himself.

Deep in thought, he barely noticed he had another tug on his line. Not until the pole was almost ripped out of his hands did he come back to reality and begin to reel it in. After a few minutes he reeled it in...another small one.

It was getting dark now, and Ron decided that he would eventually end up hurting himself if he continued to fish, either by slipping or hooking himself. So he apparated back to the tent, struggling to hold onto the fish as he did so.

"Are you hungry Harry?" Ron called as he landed on the ground.

"Of course I am, fry those things up!" Harry practically screamed.

Ron started a fire with a muggle contraption called "matches." His father had given them to him before he left, and he just now found them in his coat pocket, and wanted to try them out. He had burnt his thumb several times, but he felt good to have started a fire with no magic.

He put the fish on a stick and fried them over a fire. When they started to eat it, they both didn't like it, but decided that it was better than nothing and ate it all.

"You wanna take the first watch?" Harry said.

"Sure, why not. I'm not that tired." Ron said

"Wow, that's a first."

"What does that mean?"

"Let's see Ron, you are always hungry and always tired." Said Harry, laughing.

"Yea, well…I have no come-back."

"Alright, goodnight."

"Night."

Ron took a seat the tent and took out his want, making a bug on the ground be trapped in a box he kept making, for several hours. Then he heard a low growl. He looked up and saw a dark figure. Hoping it was Hermione, he took down the enchantments and whispered, "Hermione?"

Another growl.

"Well, that's not Hermione…" Ron said, stepping farther outward.

Something lunged out at him and he screamed, waking Harry.


	8. Chapter 8 Joy

**Sorry, I know this one took a little longer than a week, but it is a little longer, not to mention I was sick Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Hope you like it!**

Hermione woke up to her alarm clock at 7 am. It still felt weird for her that she was able to sleep for the full night and not have to get up to take watches. Feeling refreshed, she hopped in the shower and prepared for her day. When she got out, she took out her list and saw that there were only two places that they would have been that she hadn't already checked…Godric's Hollow and the field between Ron and Luna's house. Then something clicked in Hermione's head! They wouldn't be at Godric's Hollow because they only put that on the list so they would remember they had to check there! So they only place left to check was field between Ron and Luna's house. She sat on her bed, and thought. She would check there, then work from there.

She bundled up in layer after layer of clothing until she looked like a giant, oddly colored marshmallow, and apparated immediately in between Ron and Luna's house, in the middle of two hills so to be certain she wouldn't be seen. Carefully, she walked up the hill, not only so that she wouldn't be seen, but also so that she wouldn't trip on the iciness. When she got to the top, she knew she was out in the open. She walked closer to Luna's house, knowing that the boys wouldn't be so mental as to hid right next to Ron's house. She quietly called, "Ron," or "Harry" every once in a while, and constantly said revealing spells just in case they couldn't here/see her.

The snow was getting higher, up to her knee here. But she wouldn't cast a fire spell, because she was not the best at them, and she didn't want to burn the field. Also, that would leave a path that someone was here, which could be somehow traced back to her.

After so much walking she thought she could collapse, she apparated back to her hotel room to think of what to do.

"Ok, so they are not in the field, and they are not at Godric's Hollow, I know those two for sure. I checked every inch of the forest near shell cottage, but I could have missed them because there were a lot of places they could have nestled into so they couldn't see or hear me. And I barely checked the Forest of Dean because of the snatchers….I'll go back there." She thought to herself.

Knowing that going back out now would be dangerous, because she was so tired that it would make her un-alert, she decided to walk around the hotel for a while, and maybe get something so eat.

She stripped off all her wet clothes and magically dried them, and pulled on a pair of jeans and Ron's sweater, then walked out of her hotel room. She was walking down the stairs when hunger struck her. She went into a little café thing that was near the lobby, and ordered a coffee and a Danish, knowing that it wasn't a lot, but if she ordered more than that she would feel guilty because Harry and Ron were probably out there eating crickets or who knows what.

She ate in silence and watched the people coming in and out…a young man and a young woman, maybe 17 or 18 who ordered two hot chocolates and walked out of the hotel hand in hand, and old-grouchy women who demanded her own way when she didn't have enough whipped cream, and when the cashier interrupted her to tell her they were out of strawberry cream cheese she nearly ripped his head off, (Wouldn't her and Snape make a lovely couple, both rude, and annoying,) and a young girl and her mom and dad who ordered two coffees, a hot chocolate, and a muffin. Hermione chocked on her coffee when she realized that that was exactly what her and her parents ordered whenever they came here, or went to any café. She almost cried, but just looked at her Danish, wishing her parents were right across from her drinking their coffee.

After who-knows how long, Hermione got up and walked out to the lobby, and looked around it for the first time since she had come here as a little girl, maybe 13 or 14. They had added a chandelier and new furniture. It was really nice. Not wanting to get absorbed into it all, she climbed back up the stairs and unlocked her room. She got in and half-reluctantly, since she didn't want to go back into the cold and wet, and half-excitedly, as she wanted to see Ron and Harry again, pulled on all her layers of clothes, shrunk her bag and put it into her pocket, checked that the "Do Not Disturb" sign was up, and apparated to the Forest of Dean.

She landed in snow that was up to the middle of her thighs, and decided that she needed to go the fire, or she was going to spend so much time looking and get nowhere. Crossing her fingers, she said:  
>"Incendio"<p>

To her luck, the spell worked exactly to her liking, and made a path. She started walking, calling loudly "Ron" and "Harry" every couple of seconds. After walking on the path for an hour, it was getting dark, so she said:  
>"Lumos"<p>

Her wand tip lit up and she held her wand in front of her. After a few more minutes of walking, she was at the lake! She was about to turn back when she noticed something on another path…footprints! And they were from a human! Knowing she would not be able to use Incendio, because the footprints would be destroyed, she started trudging through the snow, not wanting to do any magic in case it erased the footprints.

After another half-an-hour of walking, (not really even walking, more like falling every couple of feet trying to follow footprints) she had to give herself a break. Even when her body cooled down, she was still panting excitedly, as this might lead her back to Harry and Ron once and for all! She tried to tell herself that it wouldn't be them, just so that she would have the strength to go on it if wasn't. Unable to sit still with anxiousness, she got up and trudged faster, wanting to see if it was them!

After another quarter of an hour, she saw a tent! A TENT! Hyperventilating, she ran as fast as the snow would let her toward the tent…she was a few feet from it, about to scream "RON, HARRY?" when she saw something that not only made her scream, but also break down crying. She had dropped her wand, but picked it up and knew she had to help.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys. I am expecting maybe one or two more chapters tops. Then, I am going to start a new story once I think of an idea (not taking suggestions, sorry, but if you would like to add a one-shot challenge suggestion, I may take it if I have a writer's block) so…add me to those author alert lists if you like my work! This chapter may be a little confusing, because it is a lot of POV changes, but I'll try to make it good!**

"Ron, what's wrong?" Screamed Harry, wand out and ready to attack.

Then he saw him. A bloody, screaming red head underneath a wolf.

"Stupefy!" Shouted Harry at the beast, too scared to kill it incase his spell missed and hit Ron.

The wolf fell to the ground. Harry levitated it a long way away, and then ran to Ron. He was bleeding out of his left arm, right leg, and many parts of his stomach, chest and face. Harry's mind was racing. He had no idea what to do! He took off his shirt and charmed it to have a healing potion on it, and wrapped it around Ron's leg, which was bleeding the most.

Ron was jolting in pain. His breathing was short and rough, and he knew that he was going to die. Instead of screaming, he thought of Hermione, thinking it would calm him down, and, if he did die, the last picture in his head would be of her. He heard Harry clinking around through his pockets.

"Come on, come on." Harry screamed, rustling through his pockets trying to find something that would help Ron. He pulled out a mint, a feather, a quill.

"Why do I have all this bloody junk in my pockets?" Thought Harry.

He came across a handkerchief, and wet it using "aguamenti." Then, he pressed it against Ron's face, arms, and stomach, cleaning it often. It was doing nothing. Ron was still jerking, and was fighting back the constant urge to scream.

Ron continued to think of Hermione. He blacked in and out of consciousness, waking up feeling sweaty and just wanting to die so it would be all over. He could hear everything going on around him, like it was in slow motion. He just wanted his death to hurry up and be over.

Harry had no time to think. He continuously was casting water and healing spells he had learned, but the healing spells were weak and they were doing very little to help Ron. He heard a twig snap, and he looked up, thinking the wolf was awake and came back, but he couldn't see anything and went back to cleansing the wounds.

After over half-an-hour on constant cleansing, Harry finally got the bleeding to stop. However, Ron had lost a ton of blood, and Harry knew that this was very dangerous. He hadn't lost close to this amount of blood back in the graveyard in his fourth year, and at that time Harry was very dizzy and about to faint. Ron had lost more than 5 times the amount of blood Harry had, and he was passed out. Harry's mind quickly thought of Ron dying, but he pushed that thought to the back of his head in an instant and went back to cleaning the wounds.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH."

Harry hear a girlish scream that could only be….but no, it couldn't be, Hermione? He looked in the direction of the scream and sure enough, there was Hermione, dressed in a thousand layers of clothes, crying. He was both shocked and relieved that she was there. She came back! Only to see the one she loved dying on the ground.

She ran over, as fast as her shaking legs could carry her.

"What happened?" Hermione screamed at Harry as she looked through her bag to find something to use on Ron.

"He was attacked by a wolf…a rather large one. I don't know why it attacked, maybe he still had the scent of fish on him from dinner…" Replied Harry, his voice shaking.

"Accio Dittany!" Hermione said, and a bottle labeled, "Essence of Dittany" appeared in her hand. Harry remembered this from when Ron got splinched. Hermione had used that on him then also.

She started pouring the liquid on the now unconscious Ron, and watched as the marks became dimmer and dimmer.

"The only thing we can do now is wait until he wakes up, then have him eat something. He lost a lot of blood." Said Hermione.

She set up all the enchantment charms again, knowing she was about to have a hundred questions thrown at her from Harry. She wanted to be covered when that happened. Sure enough, as soon as she sat down:

"Where have you been? How did you find us?"

"I have been staying at a hotel that I rented with my credit card, and remember that list we made? I found you by using that!"

"Brilliant Hermione. Wow, neither of us could have ever put those clues together."

Hermione blushed, and bit her bottom lip. Why wasn't she mad at him? She would be furious f either one of them came back after this long.

"So, how have you two been doing?" She asked, just to make conversation.

"Well apparently, not so good considering Ron's knocked out on the ground." Harry joked.

"Only you can make a joke in a time like this Harry…only you." Hermione said, smiling.

"Yea, but we have been doing pretty good…but we are horrible chefs…we have made delicious fish barely edible!"

"Again with the jokes Harry…" Said Hermione in a sarcastic-disapproving voice.

They both laughed.

"So, you've been all cozy at a hotel while Ron and I were here freezing?"

"I was out of my room a lot, looking for you! That was no picnic."

"Where did you check?"

"Let's see, I checked here once before. But there were snatchers so I left fast. I also checked that forest near Shell Cottage…Bill was there! But I slipped away without him noticing me. And then I checked the field between Luna and Ron's house…they have high snow there!"

"Wow…and you checked everywhere?"

"Yes, I checked every inch of the Shell Cottage forest, and every inch of the field. And I checked like half of this forest before. I found you by foot-prints."

"Ron forgot to erase his footsteps again! If he was conscious, I'd smack him."

"No you wouldn't! If he hadn't left foot-prints, I would have never found you guys!"

They heard a low moan and saw Ron stir to life. Hermione walked over and stroked his arm. He opened his eyes with great effort.

"Hermione?"


	10. Chapter 10 Home at last

"Yea Ron, it's me." Hermione said cautiously, not wanting him to be angry and make him faint again.

"Am I dead? Am I in heaven?" Ron asked, seriously.

"No Ron, you were attacked by a wolf. I came back just in time. I found you guys because of the list we wrote of where we would stay."

"Really? That's amazing." Said Ron, and drifted back into unconsciousness.

"He likes you…a lot." Said Harry awkwardly as Hermione sat back down.

"Yea, I like him too. I have since third year, even though he was a jerk to me." She said.

"Do not tell him I told you this, but every night that you were gone, he constantly stared at a tube of lip gloss you bought in third year, at Hogsmeade apparently. He tried to remember all the good times with you."

"Really? Awww, that is so sweet. I have been wearing his sweater non-stop since I found it."

"Oh yea, I never asked, how did you find that?" Harry asked.

"When I came back the next day to find you, I saw snatchers. But there was a sweater here, so I kept it, because it was the only part of you guys I had left."

"Oh…" Said Harry, not wanting to continue this girly conversation.

"So, have you and Ron found the sword by any chance? Cause it has the basilisk venom on it…I told you before I left right?"

"No…Ron interrupted us, and then you went all berserk. But you said something about the sword I remember. You had like and 'ah-ha' moment all of a sudden."

"Oh, well you stabbed the basilisk in our second year, right? With the sword of Gryffindor?"

"Yes…" Said a very confused Harry.

"Well, the sword only grows stronger. Dirt, rust, and water have no effect on it. So, it still had the basilisk venom on it to this day, because the venom made it stronger."

"And basilisk venom destroys Horcruxes! That's bloody brilliant!"

"Thanks…" Said Hermione, blushing.

"Wait, that's why Dumbledore gave it to me in his will! Because he knew it would destroy Horcruxes!"

"Yes Harry, exactly. We just need to find the sword, and then we will have a way of destroying the rest of them!"

"We need to bloody find that sword."

They sat in silence for a while, Harry trying to think of how to get the sword, and Hermione watching Ron, taking him in once again. The man she had longed for was finally in front of her yet again.

She got up and walked to Ron. She wanted to see how the Essence of Dittany was working. As she got there, Ron stirred and opened his eyes. It was like he knew he was in the presence of Hermione.

"Hermione, you are here, it wasn't a dream." Ron said with hopeful eyes.

"No Ron it wasn't. Do you want some tea…you lost a lot of blood, you need to eat something."

"Sure, why not? I'll even make it!" Said Ron sarcastically.

"I don't think so Ronald. I'll levitate you to your bed. Do you trust me?"

"I'll always trust you Hermione."

Smiling, Hermione cast the levitation charm on Ron and carried him into the tent. He got there and she placed him on his bed. She invited Harry in for tea, and made it. She knew the questions would start again, from Ron this time. So she sat herself down in a chair, ready to answer.

"You got here because of the list right? You told me so…or was it a dream?"

"No Ron, it wasn't a dream. That is how I got here. I searched the places we hadn't gone so far, and eventually found you here."

"Why did you come back? Don't take that the wrong way, I am ecstatic that you are back."

"I tried to come back the day after I left…but I came back the next morning and you weren't here. All that was left was your sweater." Said Hermione.

"Oh…that's good."

"Yes, and I have been searching that whole time, only going back to my hotel at night."

"What? A hotel? Lucky little Hermione didn't have to sleep in the woods." Said Ron sarcastically.

"Ron, you and I both know I would have stayed in the woods. But me being a muggle-born, and snatchers around every corner…" Hermione shuddered.

"I was kidding Hermione."

"Yea, I know you are…why aren't you made at me? I would be furious with you if had left and came back."

"Let's see Hermione…you only just saved my life. Yes Harry you helped also, but she had the Dittany. I'm grateful for that. Also, even if I wanted to, I don't have the strength or energy to kill you now." Said Ron with a chuckle.

"Guess what I figured out Ronald?" Said Hermione, wanting to take his mind off his injury.

"Ron, Hermione. R-O-N. Not Ronald! And what?"

"The sword of Gryffindor can be used to destroy Horcruxes."

"What….really?" Asked Ron.

Hermione described how the sword had venom, it only got stonger etc. until Ron looked amazed.

"You…are so bloody amazing." Ron said.

"Always the tone of surprise." Hermione said with a laugh.

"Seriously, it's ridiculous. How can one person have so much talent?" Said Ron, looking dumbstruck.

Blushing, Hermione said, "Ron, you are just as brilliant. I rely on books and knowledge to get me through things. But you can do amazing things without thinking, or planning. You're the talented one."

"What is this, a bloody reality show?" Said Harry laughing.

"Way to ruin the mood their mate…" Said Ron under his breath, so Hermione couldn't hear.

"I never asked you Harry….why aren't you made at me for leaving?"

"Well Hermione, you saved my best friends life. I can be thankful for that."

"Wow, he's your best friend….offensive, I thought I was your best friend!" Said Hermione with a serious face, until she couldn't take it anymore and burst out laughing.

They all laughed, and laughed for a long time, even though it was so cheesy. It was just good for them to be together again. When they finished laughing, Hermione stood up and hugged Ron and Harry simultaneously.

"I missed you guys so much."

The End

**I hope everyone liked this story. Thank you to all the people who have been there and read every chapter, and followed me since the beginning. I will start a new story as soon as I think of one, but look for some silly one-shots out there! Thanks to everyone for the suggestions, comments, and favorites. You are all so amazing!**


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